Suction cleaner



June 23, 1936. E, H'QOVER 2,045,270

SUCTION CLEANER' Filed' Oct. 16, 1953 lll INVENTOR )Yawardar/ H00 Ver ATTORNEY June- 23, 1936. y H. ,E. HoovE'R j 2,045,270

' sUcTIoN CLEANER Filed oct. 16, 1933 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR 4` @maar/maw ATTORNEY Patented /June 23, v41936l UNITED STATES PATENT :OFFICE 2,045,210 sUc'rioN icLEANEn J Howard Earl Hoover, Glencoe, Ill.,

assignor The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application vOctober 16, 1933, Serial No. 693,701k

13 Claims.

an economically manufacJtured rotary agitator` for a suction cleaner in which a-brush and a beater element form a unit which is removable 15 and replaceable as such. A still further object is the provision of an agitator for a suction cleaner in whichl the brush is positioned closely adjacent to the beater element and is'removable from the agitator therewith. A still further object is the .IS- provision of an agitator of the rotary type in which the beater elementis provided with brush elements upon each of its sides and the three surface-contacting elements are removable-as a unit from the agitator body. These and other more specific objects will be apparent upon read? ing the following speciilcationI and claims, and

upon considering attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawingsin which pre-V ,ferred embodiments of the present invention arel Figure 1 isa side view of modern suction cleaner with a preferred embodiment of the present-invention embodied shown with certain parts broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, p'artly in section,

of a` preferred embodiment of the present in' vention;

Figure 3 is a partiall section upon the line 3 3 4oofFlgure-i;

Figure4 is a cross 'section upon the line [-4 of Figure 2;

' Figure 5 is a view in'perspective o f a brush ele-A and seat the surface-contacting element of the agitator.

ment; Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the beater element with the brush-receiving channel rigidly formed thereon;

' Figure 'I is a side ele tion, with certain parts broken away, of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

. `Iiigure 8 is asection'upon Figure '1:

the linel of e '9 is a view in perspective of the brush eiemem. provided in the seeond embodiment or@ ing endwise therefrom 'in' a mannerwhich is I6 the invention; 'l

in connectionv therewith the therein,y the cleaner being of the agitator.

Figure 10 is a view in'perspective of the beaterv elementincluded in the second embodiment;

Figure l1 is a side elevation, with certain parts broken away, a third preferred embodiment'of the present invention; '5

. Figure 12 is a'view in perspective of the brush land beater element unit removed from the agitator;

Figure 13 is a section upon the lineI3-I3 of Figure `11.

Referring now to .the drawings and Figure 1 in particular, aV modern suction cleaner, indicated generally by the reference character I, is shown and comprises the usual parts of a modern suction' cleaner including a nozzle, a suctionA 15 creating fan, a driving motor, the entire unit being movably supported and there being pro' vided a pivoted handle. `The present invention does not relate to the suction cleaner as a unit, but instead to the rotary agitator which is adapt- 20 ed to be embodied therein, andmore particularly within/the nozzle thereof?, and which is adaptedl to'contact the lifted surface ycovering between the nozzle lips. This agitator in a preferred embodiment is shown in Figure ll being indicated 251 generally by the reference character II. Referring now to Figures 2 to 6, inclusive, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and is seen to comprise anelongated cylindrical body I2 which 'is provided substantially midway 30 of itsy length with a portion of reduced diameter I3 which functions as a pulley. A through-supporting shaft I4 .rotatably supports the bodythrough bearings I5 which are positioned within the counter bored endsof the body. A stations 35 ary thread guard Il'is carried at eachI end of the shaft, as inthe usual agitator construction. -and. serves to prevent the accumulation of hair and foreign matter around the supporting bearings. 'i 40 spaced at-intervals in the body I2 of the G81- tator are outwardly opening channels or seats` I1, I1, et cetera which are adapted to receive Within -each seat I 1 vis positioned a y4=I5A brush Il comprising a rigid back and ilexibl'e bushes mounted-therein; 4meen bmah n a eer.

The brush Itis removable from the channel I! of the beater element Il bylid- 'receive the rigid back and overlie same.

obvious. To prevent looseness or rattling a spring 2| is provided in the bottom of channel I9 which secures the rigid back of the brush against the top of the channel. With a brush and beater element unit-in place in the agitator and with the brush inits seat, screws 22, 22 extend through apertures 23, 23 at the ends of each beater element and fasten it-securely to the agitator body which is preferably of wood or some similar inexpensive material.

Referring now to Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, a

second preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed, in which the agitator body is indicated generally by the reference character 25 and is hollow, instead of solid as in the first 'embodiment, and is preferably of metal. A reduced portion 28 at substantially the longitudinal center functions as a pulley and an end cup 21 at each end of the agitator incloses a bearing 28 which rotatably mounts the agitator upon the through supporting shaft 29. Thread guards are again present and are indicated by the reference character 30.

The surface-contacting unit seats in the present embodiment are indicated b`y the reference character 3| and are open at their ends within the body of the agitator. The elements of the brush-beater unit adapted t'o be embodied in this modication of the invention areshown in detail in Figures 9'and l0. 'Ihe brush 33 is again seen to comprise a rigid back having iiexible bristles mounted therein. The rigid beater element 34 is again formed of a unitary piece of metal which is adapted to extend inwardly into the seat 3| where it is formed as the channel 35 adapted to Inwardly extending tongues 36, 36 pressed from the sides of the beater element frictionally overlie the top of the metal back of the brush. Within v and at the bottom of channel 35 is provided a spring 31 which is adapted to contact the bottom of` the brush baclias in the first embodiment. With the brush in place within the channel and with the ends thereof extended under the open ends of the brush seat 3|, as is clearly shown in Figure '7, the spring 31 functions `to hold the brush-beater unit in place within-the seat.

Removal of the unit is possible by forcing one end of the brush back further into the opening Aat its -end of the brush seat until the opposite end ofthe back was positioned within the seat. -The said opposite end of the brush, together with the element 34 in which it is carried, can be pivoted from 'the seat and the unit removed in an obvi- ..ousmanner. The insertion of the unit is precisely the reverse operation. With the brushbeater element unitin place in the vbody the brush extends parallel tothe rigid beater ele- 'ment,v as is clearly seen in Figure 8, and 'upon brush wear or beater deformation either or both can be replaced. "j

Referring now to Figures 1'1 to 13 inclusive in particular a` third preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in which the agitator body and supporting'means are constructed as in the last described embodiment and the same reference characters are used to denote the same parts. In the present embodiment, however, the seat 3| in the agitator body is considerably Wider than in the .last embodiment, as is clearly seen in Figure A1-3, the opposite sides thereof being angularly disposed and there being provided two bottom surfaces each ofwhich .is perpendicular to the side which it contacts and which makes an angle with the other portion of the bottom Surface.

'I'he beater-brush unit in the present embodiment is seen to comprise an elongated rigid beater element 40 which is provided at each side with 5 an elongated channel member 4| for substantially its entire length. Channels 4|, 4| are angularly disposed relative to each other and the brushes 33, 33 seated therein with theirv backs within the channels are disposed relative to each other as are the sides of the letter V. A flap 42 is pressed from the side of the metallic channel to hold the brush back in place and prevent rattling. With the element or unit positioned within its seat 3| within the agitator body, the bottoms of the 15 channels 4|, 4| are seento seat against the angularly positioned bottoms of the seat. The entire unit is held in place by means of screws 43, 43 which extend through aperture 44, 44 at the opposite ends of the beater element 40 and into 20 suitable threaded seats 45, 45 formed in the agitator body 25.

I claim:

1. In a suction l`cleaner rotary agitator, a body, means to support rotatably said body, a surface- 25 contacting-unit seat in said body, a rigid beater element comprising a rounded elongated surfacecontacting portion and an elongated channel portion formed integrally therewith and spaced therefrom, a brush comprising a rigid back and 30 exible bristles, said brush baci; seated in said channel with said bristles extended adjacent said rounded surface-contacting portion, said beater element and brush.forming a surface-contacting unit and adapted to be seated in said seat with 35 said rounded portion and said brush extended radially beyond the periphery of said body, and means to secure removably said unit in said seat. 2. In a suction cleaner rotary agitator, a body, means to support rotatably said body, a channel in said body, a metallic member in said channel y and being itself formed as a channel, one side of said member being extended from said body channel and curved back on said body to form a surface-contacting element, a brush having a rigid back seated in the channel of said metallic member, the bristles of said`brush extended radially beyond the periphery of said body, -and means removably securing said member and said brush relative to said body.

3. In a suction cleaner rotary agitator, 'a body, means to support rotatably said body, a channel in saidV body, a metallic member in said channel and being itself formed as an elongated rounded beater element with channels along the opposite sidesthereof and therebelow, brushes including lrigid backs and bristles carriedby said channels Ain said member, said member being positioned' in the channel in said body with said beater element and said brushes extended radially beyond o0 said body, and means removably securing said member relative to said body.

4. An accessory fora suction cleaner agitator comprising a rigid member formed as a brushreceiving channel vwith one side extended and e5 rolled to form an elongated rigid surface-contact- -ing element.

5. An accessorywfor a suction cleaner agitator -comprising a rigid member formed as a brushreceiving channel with one side extended and rolled to form an elongated rigid surface-oontacting clement, and a brush including a rigid balck andbristles removably seated in said chan. -ne

`6. An accessory for a suction cleaner agitator 7 5l comprising a rigid member formed as an elongated smooth-curved surface-contacting beater element with channels upon its opposite sides, and brushes includingy rigid backs and bristles seated in said channels.

7. In a suction cleaner rotary agitator, a body,

means to support rotatably said body, a channel with open ends in said body, a'metallic member. I

in said channel formed as a brush seat in said channel and as a surface-contacting element thereabove, a brush including a rigid'back posi- .tioned in said seat and extended into the open end of said channel and having bristles extended radially beyond said body, and means normally preventing the displacement of said brush back from the open ends of said channel, characterized by the fact that said means can be overcome manually and one end of said brush back displaced from one of saidvopen ends to permit said brush and member to be removed from said body.

8. In a brush and beaterelernent unit adapted to be seated in a suction cleaner rotary agitator, l a rigid element formed as a surface-contacting beater and as' a seat for an elongated brush at the side of and below said beater, said seat including means to restrict theI movement of a brush positioned therein relative to said beater.

9; In a brush. and beater element unit adapted to be seated in a suction cleaner rotary agitator,

a rigid element, a surface-'contacting beater atone side otsaid element, a brush seat at the opposite side of said element, said seat including means to restrict the movementl of a brush positioned therein, and a brush including a back seated in said seat and bristles extended therefrom.

10. An accessory for a suction cleaner agitator,

`comprising a surface-contacting beater, rigid seatsfor brushes lupon both sides of said beater connected thereto, said accessory being adapted to be attached to and removed from a rotary yagitator for a suction cleaner as a unit.

11. An accessory for a. suction cleaner agitator, V

1lil

to limit the displacement of a brush positioned l therein in certain directions, and means connecting said beater to said seat and retaining said beaterin a denite angular relationship relative to said seat.

13. In a suction cleaner rotary agitator, a body,

means to support said body rotatably, a surfacecontacting-unit seat in said body, a rigid element 'f including a beater and a brush seat positioned in said yfirst-mentioned seat, said last-mentioned seat including means'to restrict the movement of a brush positioned therein in certain directions,

a brush including a back positioned in said lastmentioned seatand extendedabove the surface of said body, said element and said brush being removable as a unit from said body, and means removably securing said element and said brush inplace. l f

- IIOWARD EARL HOOVER,- 

